Waiting Up
by PrincessYaoi
Summary: Valmont is waiting for Jackie's call after Jackie's latest archeological expadition. Takes place after Mean to Me.
1. The Call

"Big V, you all right? It's nearly midnight," Ratso waved a hand in front of the crime lord's face. When there was no answer, he asked again, "Big V! Hey, anybody home in there?" A painful grip stopped the continuous motion of his arm before slamming it hard onto the table.

"I'm _fine,_ Ratso. Do shut up, will you?" Valmont commanded. "I'm tired, and —"

What he meant to say was remained a mystery. His cell phone went off, and he answered immediately, all signs of weariness fading away instantly.

"Jackie? What took you so long? I've been worried sick!" Val's voice boomed, as he made his way to his room for privacy.

"I know, I just got back," Jackie yawned on the other end of the line. Valmont cursed mentally. That meant he wouldn't be able to see Jackie until the next day. "I brought something back for you."

"You're all that I need, you idiot," Valmont cooed. "So what _did_ you bring me, anyway?"


	2. The Ring

I don't know the real legend behind the puzzle rings, or if there even is one, so I decided to make up my own to coincide with my story.

This is a quick update for animegurl088.

Disclaimer: I do not own JCA or any of the characters therein.

* * *

"It's an enchanted ring," Jackie explained, rather needlessly at this point. As he delicately handed the piece of jewelry to his lover, it fell apart in his hand.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Valmont muttered in frustration, "Is this some sort of gag, Chan?" Stifling a laugh, Jackie took the ring and it put itself together.

"I forgot; you can't put it on yourself. I have to put it on you," Jackie explained, slipping Valmont's wedding band off before replacing it with the new ring. Valmont recoiled only for a moment, before staring at his finger in wonder. What had been a rusty, mud-covered monstrosity became a beautiful band of interwoven silver and gold

"It's a puzzle ring," Jackie noted. "They're easy to find now, but this one is the original. Legend holds that a man loved his intended very much, and wanted to show this love for her, yet he was very poor. All he could afford was a single band of iron. He took a ring and had it blessed by the local high priestess, as was the custom in that day. On their wedding day, as he put the ring on her finger, it transformed from its original state into what you see now.

"Later, as the man was sent in his master's place to greet influential personage, he told his wife he would be gone for a fortnight and then return. During this time, she was unfaithful to him during this time, taking her ring off so that no one could know that she was married. When it was almost time for her husband to return, she went to put her ring back on, only to find it was torn into seven bands, once for every time she had cheated on him. When her husband returned and saw how her ring had fallen apart, he became furious. She tried to explain that she had taken it off only to take a bath and could not put it back together again, but her husband knew better. The priestess had made it very clear that it would only come apart if his wife were unfaithful to him."

"What are you getting at, Chan? Do you still not trust me?" Valmont demanded, a twinge of hurt evident in his voice.

"Of course I trust you! It's just a legend, after all," Jackie whispered carefully, linking his arm in Valmont's.

"Nothing is ever 'just a legend' with you, Jackie," Valmont noted, pulling away. Upset, Jackie pulled Valmont around to look at him.

"I never intended to hurt you with that story, Valmont; I just thought you'd like to know where it came from," The black-haired man insisted. "I know that you will be more faithful than the woman was to her husband. Ever since we got married two years ago, you have proved that."

"I'm glad you are able to see that," Valmont replied coolly, pulling Jackie into a fierce kiss. After the kiss broke, he growled, "Because if I'm going to do anything to anyone, it's going to be you. Now get into the bedroom."


	3. The Curse

Jackie woke the next morning to find Valmont's side of the bed empty. Still half asleep, it took a couple of seconds for him to notice that Valmont was still in the room, just finishing getting dressed.

"What are you doing up so early?" Jackie wondered, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Glancing at his watch, he noted, "It's only five in the morning."

"I have work to do," Valmont responded shortly, offering no more of an explaination.

Jackie felt a twinge in his heart. How many more times would he have to wake to Valmont leaving? How many times would he ask the same question, and get the same, unsatisfactory response? Yet he didn't feel like he could say much about it; how many times had he gone on top-secret missions without being able to tell Valmont about them, not even a word after he had returned? Jackie simply nodded and laid back down, watching Valmont intently as he put on his green jacket and closed the door behind him.

hr

"Did he get it?" Captain Black querried as soon as Valmont entered his office. Valmont raised his left hand to display the ring that now resided there. "Good. Give it here," Black commanded, but Valmont hesitated.

"What do you need it for?" Valmont wanted to know, giving the captain a suspicious look.

"Not very trusting, are you?" The bald man smirked. "The ring you are wearing aparantly has a curse on it. Jackie didn't know, or else he would never have put it on your hand. The very reason we needed that ring is for the sake of contacting the person who cursed it."

hr This story seems doomed to short chapters few and far between. Ah well, I suppose that's ok. See you next time! 


	4. The Woman

"I still don't think this is a good idea, Val," Captain Black insisted resolutely, once the paranormal chamber was set up to contact the ring's curse-giver. Despite the protests of Sector 13's leader, Valmont had insisted on meeting the ghost himself to know exactly what he was in for.

"Shut up and just summon the spirit already," Valmont order, earning a glare that he paid no attention to. Captain Black, resigned to the fact that he could do nothing to persuade the ex-crime lord to leave, nodded. The medium immediately began the seance, and before long, the bright lights flickered and went out. A few silent moments passed, and then a anguished, angry shriek filled the room. Valmont stepped back at the sound, and in the same instant, the room was filled with a dim, yellow light. A woman, translucent, stood before him, and he was struck by her beauty. With raven black hair not unlike Jackies, she had it kept neatly up in a style Valmont was not familiar with. Her eyes were dark as coal, and her face, like the rest of her was long and elegent. Valmont felt as though he was being pulled into those eyes, and strengthened his defenses.

"Valmont," She murmured, a coy grin on her face, "What are you doing tied down to that hopeless goody-two-shoes for?"

Knowing immeadiately what she was talking about, Valmont resisted the pull further. "That is none of your business, woman. We're here about the curse."

"I know you better than that, Valmont," The woman purred, ignoring his demand, "You are a man of ambition! You want riches, power! I will give it to you!"

"What do you know?" Valmont growled, feeling the old desires reawakening in the back of his mind.

"Leave him alone," Captain Black yelled, seeing the man's will weakening. "Tell us about the curse!" The woman hissed in the captain's direction, then turned her focus back on Valmont.

"You know I'm right, Valmont," she murmured promisingly. "You know what you really want, and you know I can give it to you..."

"How do you know me?" He whispered, eyes wide and child-like. "How could you possibly-?"

"Ever since that archeologist of yours put my ring on your finger," the woman said with a giggle, "I have known everything about you! And now I will make you the most powerful man in all the world if you will only release me from this ring."

Valmont heard the captain yell at her, but at that point, it was to late.

His world went black.

* * *

When Jackie arrived at Section 13, there was a great deal of commotion in the paranormal department. It took nothing more than a mention of Valmont's name to send him into the middle of the crowd. Captain Black was there, kneeling next to the green-clad man, and rubbing his eyes in irritation.

"Sir, what happened? Is he alright?" Jackie asked, picking Valmont's head up and resting it in his lap. Valmont groaned, but did not wake.

"No, Chan, he isn't. That ring you brought back is killing him," Black explained matter-of-factly. Seeing the heart-break in Jackie's eyes, Black placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok, kid. You didn't know there was a curse. Luckily, I think there's a way to break it."

* * *

Gee, I seem to like being mean to Big V, don't I?

Another short chapter, and it took far too long getting it up. I'm sorry! As far as I can see, there should only be two or three more chapters. Then I'll try to finish my spiderman fic, after that, I have one on that I want to finish up.


	5. The Partner Ring

Valmont was not Valmont when he openned his eyes. He could feel himself on the floor, his head resting on Jackie's lap. Yet he was no longer in love with his husband, and wanted very much to jerk away from the man and strangle him. A pain-filled twitch caught Jackie's attention. Black eyes full of concern fixated on eyes of blue. Valomnt closed his eyes again to hide his irritation.

"Valmont? Valmont, are you awake?" The ever so familiar voice querried, full of the same compassion and worry that had filled those dark eyes.

"Yes, I'm awake," Valmont growled. "For the love of...my head is pounding, Chan! Stop touching me!

"Oh, sorry!" Jackie offered, quickly, withdrawing his hands as Valmont forced himself up into a sitting postion. "Are you going to be ok, Val?"

"Like hell I will, if you don't leave me be," Valmont shot angrily, a venomous glare sent in Jackie's direction. Rising painfully to his feet, he decided it would be best to leave as soon as possible.

"What's wrong with him?" Jackie wondered aloud, a befuddled look on his face. Captain Black rubbed his eyes wearily with a groan.

"I told him it was a bad idea," He sighed. "That ring was possessed. We were going to preform an exorcism, but he insisted on being there while we did. The demoness left the ring, but posessed him instead."

* * *

Valmont could not explain it. Where there had been nothing but love and respect for Jackie before, there was only utter hatred for holding him back. He had ambition, and Jackie had almost robbed him of that. He could've been rich by now, but instead, he found himself married to a man who care little for wealth, and would not let him pursue riches as he wished. 

_That's not true,_ Valmont told himself, yet something dark within a part of his brain that he didn't even know existed told him it was. Not that it mattered, now that he had his aspirations again.

* * *

"Possesed?" Jackie was clearly panicing at this point. "Captain Black, please! There must be some way to save my husband!" 

"I only wish there were, Jackie," Captain Black answered sadly. "The only thing we can do for him, short of finding the companion ring, is put him out of his misery. The demoness will leave when she realizes the vessel is dying. We can only hope that Val will have a few coherent moments before he dies."

"No! Valmont will not die," Jackie insisted, a determined look in his eye. "I'm going to find the partner ring."

* * *

Okay, it's been far too long for an update, and this is far too short of a chapter. But since animegurl088 seems to enjoy the story so much, I'm going to dedicate it to here, and let her name the demoness and her husband if she likes. 


	6. The Shade

"Please, I must return to the work site," Jackie insisted, as one of the sentries blocked his path. "It is of great importance that I find something that may save the life of someone very special to me."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Chan, but the work site has been closed down," The guard explained calmly. "There's been some very strange things happening here lately."

"But--look, if you'll let me in, I'm sure I can find a way to make it stop. I've dealt with the supernatural before," Jackie explained.

"Supernatural?" The guard asked in fear.

"Yes, it's...sort of my job now," Jackie explained. "Please, you must let me pass."

"Very well," The sentry conceded, as if he knew he would regret it. "Just be quick about it."

* * *

The work site did not resemble old ruins when Jackie entered. It instead was very much like a flourishing town it had been so long ago. Shadows of people went about their daily business, not knowing nor caring that they were dead. Jackie shuddered, and decided to head back to the place where he found the first ring. 

The ruins of the house had reconstructed itself into a small and modest two story home of mud brick. Jackie saw a man waling about through one of the windows, and hesitantly knocked on the wooden door.

"What does the living hope to gain by consorting with the dead?" The man wondered aloud. It was not a question, merely a statement, and Jackie wondered whether or not he should speak.

"I found a ring here a few weeks ago and took it home," He began. The shadow raised a hand to silence him, a look of understanding crossing his features.

"You placed the accursed ring on the finger of a man named Valmont. That was my wife's ring, and now her soul is destroying him from within," The ghost summarized. "You hoped that I, by traveling with you by way of my ring, could save him?"

"Please, it's his only hope," Jackie pleaded. The shade looked at him with little concern.

"I make no promises," He answered calmly, "But I will see what can be done for your husband."

* * *

Valmont fell onto his bed, exhausted. The Dark Hand had worked hard to steal the money they took in, oddly with little complaint. He could see it in their eyes, a concern for his wellbeing that they dared not voice. That part of him that would have cared had been silenced, with no strength to fight against the new mindset that now dominated him. His only concern was to be rich and powerful, feared all who dare cross the now impressive Valmont. 


End file.
